Door operator



K. DAUGIRDAS DOOR OPERATOR Filed C ot. 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. MAS/70945 2446/20/75 w @QQ X), QNEX: N Qk N, U N g wL nu m H WIN!\w/Yv MHVI i Q N a I WIHJ k. w\ M wm mv @QMW Q %\h\ mw w vw Sept.17,196? K. DAUGIRDAS DOOR OPERATOR s Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Oct. 19, 1960INVENTOR. K/FZSfU/ AS 2/70607945 Se t. 17, 1963 K. DAUGIRDAS DOOROPERATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 19, 1960 INVENTOR. zf/P/STVPAS2406/5'965 Sept. 17, 1.963 K. DAUGIRDAS 3,104,098

DOOR OPERATOR Filed Oct. 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 5

IN I

INVEN TOR. mP/sfl/P/as 2406/ ?245 Sept. 17, 1963 K. DAUGIRDAS DOOROPERATOR 5 SheecsSheet 5 Filed Oct. 19, 1960 United States Patent3,194,698 DUGR DPERATGR Kristupas Daugirdas, Dorchester, Mass, assignor,by mesne assignments, to Vapor Corporation, Chicago, llh, a corporationof Delaware Filed Oct. 19, E50, Ser. No. 63,562 18 Claims. (Cl. 268-53)The present invention relates to a power operator for doors, andparticularly those adapted to be used in public conveyances such assubways, railroad trains and the like.

The safety features which must be incorporated into power operators fordoors of public conveyances are quite rigorous, because of the nature ofthe service to which the doors are subject. Although the operators mustexert sufiicient force upon the doors to move them between open andclosed positions, that force must not be excessive, and the speed ofmovement of the door must be limited, lest damage or injury be done ifthe door should meet with an obstruction while it is being moved. It isextremely important that the door be locked when in closed position, sothat it cannot open by accident while the vehicle is in motion. It isimportant that the operator of the conveyance be constantly apprised ofthe status of the door, and particularly whether it is locked orunlocked, in order that he not attempt to start the conveyance beforethe door is locked. To this end it is customary that the door not lock,and the operator not be apprised that it is locked, until the door hasmoved substantially completely to its closed position.

It sometimes occurs that even though the door has moved substantiallyfully to its closed position, willciently so that it can be, locked inthat position, a dangerous situation may still exist. For example, aperson may have alighted from the vehicle but a trailing portion of hisgarment may be caught in the door, and that part of his garment insidethe vehicle may be sufiiciently bulky so that the garment cannot bepulled from between the door and the jamb. If, when a situation of thistype exists, the conveyance should be started, the person wearing thegarment would be pulled along by the vehicle. In order to substantiallyeliminate this danger, it is often desired that the doors, after theyhave been locked, are permitted a limited degree of freedom of movement,without disrupting their locked condition, thereby to permitdisengagement from the door of garments or the like. It is imperative,however, that the locking of the door occur only when the door issubstantially fully closed. If this were not the case the safety featureprovided by the limited degree of movement permitted to the locked door,in order to permit disengage ment of objects which do not prevent thelocking of the door but nevertheless cannot be disengaged from the doorwhen it is in its initial locked position, would be negated.

It is also considered desirable that the motor which drives the door belocked in its position corresponding to the movement of the door to itsclosed and locked location, thus preventing creeping of the motor andthe linkage connected between the motor and the door. This isparticularly important when that linkage is of the overcenter type. Themovement of the linkage to an overcenter position when the door is fullyclosed constitutes an additional safety factor, preventing the doorsfrom being accidentally opened even if the normal locking mechanismshould fail. Creeping of the motor shaft and associated linkage backpast the center after it has been moved over-center would negate thisadditional safety factor.

The accomplishment of these various requirements obviously addscomplexity to the structure of the door opice erator and to the controlinstrumentalities associated therewith. Where, [as in the type ofoperator here specifically disclosed, the driving force for moving thedoors is derived from an electric motor, complicated circuitry,including a large number of relays and switches, has been required, andthe mechanism for actuating these switches and connecting the motor tothe door is similarly complex. This complexity has many adverseconsequences. 'It results in a structure which is expensive tomanufacture and assemble, and which is not as positive in operation asmight be desired. The dependability of the operator is unsatisfactory,it is difficult to repair, and because of the large number of movingparts, and its location in places where dirt and grime can accumulate onmoving parts, the force exerted by the power motor is more than isideally required. Moreover, the space which the apparatus occupies ismaximized, thus reducing the space available in the vehicle for theaccommodation of passengers, and making difiicult the mounting of theoperator in a location in the vehicle best adapted to its operation,maintenance and repair.

The door operator of the present invention represents a marked.improvement over prior art door operators, particularly insofar as thefactors outlined in the preceding paragraph are concerned, without anysacrifice in the attainment of the desired operational and safetyfeatures. By means of the structure here disclosed, the actuation ofswitches controlling the operation of the driving motor and theindication to the operator of the status of the doors, the locking ofthe doors only when they are in fully closed position, the prevention ofcreep of the door operating linkage from its over-center position, and,if desired, the provision of a limited degree of movement to the doorswhen locked, are all positively related to one another and to the actualposition of the door and the door-operating linkage. This isaccomplished by means of a single substantially rigid movable member themovement and positioning of which is controlled in part by the manualcontrol means adapted to be actuated by the operator of the vehicle andin part I by the actual location of the door, the door lock, and thedoor-operating linkage. Since the various parts of this member whichaccomplish its several functions are substantially rigidly related toone another, and since the position of this member and its parts isappropriately controlled directly by the position of the door, the dooroperating linkage, and the status of the door locking means, control andindication are positively achieved and there is practically nolikelihood of maladjustment occurring. The reduced number of movingparts makes for incxpensiveness, small size, reliability, ease ofmaintenance, and the application of minimal force by the door motor. Inaddition, the control circuit for the motor has been greatly simplified,without sacrifice of its operating characteristics in opening andclosing of the door, resulting particularly in the employment of areduced number of control switches and permitting the mounting andactuation of those switches in a simplified and space conserving manner.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as mayhereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the structure andarrangement of a door operator and the control circuitry and linkagestherefor, as defined in the appended claims, and as described in thisspecification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified top plan view, some of its parts being omittedfor purposes of clarity, of the operator of the present inventionshowing its manner of connection to a sliding door, the particularembodiment there disclosed relating to a situation where the operatormoves but a single door, such as the end door in a subway car;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the operator of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the operator of FIG. 1, with thecover of the switch housing removed;

FIG. 5 is a detailed elevational view taken approximately on the line 55of FIG. 3, particularly showing the single substantially rigid memberand the other elements with which it directly cooperates, that memberbeing shown in its relaxed position, which it assumes when its actuatingsolenoid is de-energized and the door is not yet closed and locked;

FIG. 6 is a simplified top plan view showing the manner in which thesingle substantially rigid actuating member and the locking pawlcooperate with one another and with the door;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the operator operativelyconnected to a pair of sliding doors, such as the center doors of asubway car;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a portion thereof, showing the manner inwhich the single substantially rigid actuating member cooperates withslide rods connected to the doors in order to lock the doors in closedposition; and

FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of the control circuitry for the disclosedoperators.

Turning first to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6 and 9, which disclose anoperator for an end door of a subway car, the operator comprises a baseplate 2 on which is mounted a housing 4, which may contain many of theelectrical subassemblies desired or required, and the operator proper,generally designated 6, which may be electrically connected to the unitswithin the housing 4 by means of the wiring generally designated 8. Theoperator proper '6, with respect to which this invention primarilyrelates, comprises an electric motor 10 which, through appropriatereduction gearing 12, rotates drive shaft 14 appropriately mounted andjournalled on the base plate 2. A plate 16 (see especially FIG. 3) isfast on the outer end of the shaft 14 and carries bracket 18 at one endand a pair of vertically spaced studs 20 therebelow, and another pair ofvertically spaced studs 22 at the other end thereof. A rod 24 isslidably received between each pair of spaced studs 20 and extends outto the right of the plate 16, terminating in an otfset portion 26 whichcarries a roller 28 received within a vertical channel 30 in the door 32mounted for sliding movement to the right and to the left as viewed inthe drawings between closed and open positions respectively. The rod 24itself carries a bracket 34 located in line with the bracket 18, asecond rod 36 being fixed to the bracket 34 and slidably passing throughthe bracket 18 and being retained from escape therefrom by means of nut38. A compression spring 40 is interposed between the brackets 18 and34, thus normally urging the bracket 34 away from the bracket 18. Fromthe above description it will be appreciated that as the shaft 14 isrotated the plate 16 will pivot about the aXis of the shaft 14 and willmove the rods 24 and 36 therewith. The action of the spring 40 normallyurges the rod 24 to the right, and the pivotal movement thereof willcause the roller .28 to describe an arc and therefore move the door 32to the left, from its fully closed position shown in solid lines in FIG.1 and broken lines in FIG. 3, to its fully open position indicated inbroken lines in FIG. 1. It is preferred that when the door 32 is in itsfully closed position the arm 24 is inclined somewhat downwardly as itextends to the right from the shaft 14, so that if pressure in adoor-opening direction is manually applied to the door 32 the rod 24will be in a slightly overcenter position and will resist openingmovement of the door. A stop member 42 extends from the base plate 2beneath the plate 16 to define a positive limit for the downwardmovement of the plate 16, thereby also limiting downward movement of therod 24.

For locking the door 32 in closed position a pawl 44 (see FIGS. 3 and 6)is pivotally mounted on the base plate at 46 and is biased to pivot in acounterclockwise direction by spring 48 one end of which is secured topin 58 on the mounting structure 2. The pawl 44 is provided with anelongated recess 52 in its side adapted to cooperate with the enlargedhead 54 of a screw 56 threadedly mounted on the door 32. The pawl 44 isalso provided with a tail portion 58. The pawl 44 is movable between thebroken and solid line positions shown in FIG. 6. When the door is openand the screw head 54 is therefore positioned well to the left of thepawl 44, as shown in the broken lines in FIG. 1, the pawl 44 is free tomove to its unlocking position shown in broken lines in FIG. 6. As thedoor 32 moves back to its closed position the head 54 of the screw 56will enter the recess 52 in the pawl 44, engage with the nose 60thereof, and pull the pawl 44, against the action of the spring 48, toits locking position shown in FIG. 3 and in solid lines in FIG. 6. Themeans for retaining the pawl 44 in that locking position will bedescribed hereinafter. For the present, assuming that the pawl 44 isheld in locked position, it will be appreciated from an examination ofFIGS. 3 and 6 that the door 32 can thereafter be moved toward its openposition for only a limited distance, determined by the length of thepawl recess 52 when compared with the thickness of the screw head 54.This permitted movement, when provided, may be on the order of two orthree inches, sufficient only to permit the disengagement from the doorof some object which might be caught thereby without permitting the doorto open sufiiciently to constitute a danger to persons within thevehicle. This penrnittcd movement of the locked door is resisted butpermitted by the spring 48, which tends to urge the bracket 34 away fromthe bracket 18. When the door is moved against the action of the spring40, the bracket 34 is moved toward the bracket 18, the rod 36 is slidthrough the bracket 18, compressing the spring 40, and the rod 24 slidesbetween the studs 20 and 20. When manual opening force is removed fromthe door the spring 40 forces the bracket 34 away from the bracket 18and thus returns the door to its normal fully closed position.

The pawl 44 is adapted to be retained in locking position by the tailpart 62 of an actuating member generally designated 64 which ispivotally mounted on pin 66 extending from a portion of the supportingstructure 2, that tail part 62 being guided for vertical movement bybeing received within slot 68 in bracket 70. Spring 72 is active betweenthe pivoted actuating member 64 and the support structure 2 so as tourge the actuating member 64 to pivot in a counter-clockwise directionand cause its tail part '62 to move downwardly to the dotted lineposition 74 shown in FIG. 5 (and also shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 in solidlines), hereinafter termed its locking position. When the tail part 62of the actuating member 64 is in that locking position 74 it will abutthe tail 58 of the pawl 44, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, therebypositively preventing pivotal movement of the pawl 44 in acounter-clockwise or unlocking direction.

The actuating member 64 is adapted to be pivoted in a clockwisedirection (so as to lift its tail part 52 to the upraised position shownin broken lines in FIG. 4 and designated by the reference numeral 76.That position 76 wil hereinafter be termed the unlocking position of themember 64 because, when it is in that position, its tail part 52 israised above the pawl tail 58, thus permitting the pawl 44 to pivot asthe door is opened and to release the door for full opening movement.The actuating member 64 is thus moved by means of a solenoid 78 thearmature 80 of which is normally out of engagement with the actuatingmember 64 but which, when the solenoid 78 is energized, is projected outtherefrom into engagement with the adjustment screw 82 carried on part84 rigid with the actuating member 64, thereby to cause the actuatingmember 64 to pivot as described.

It will be noted that the path of movement of the actuating member tailpart 62 intersects the path of movement of the pawl tail 58. For so longas the pawl 44- is moved from its locking position shown in solid linesin FIG. 6, as will be the case during the entire period of time thatdoor is moving open, while the door remains open, while the door isclosing, and until the door has fully closed, its tail 58 will intersectthe tail part 62 of the actuating member '64 and thus prevent thatactuating member 64, when the solenoid 78 is de-energized, from pivotingto its locking position 74 as urged by the spring 72. The thenassumedposition of the actuating member 64, shown in solid lines in FIG. 5,with its tail part 62 resting on the upper surface of the pawl tail 58,will hereinafter be termed the relaxed position of the actuating member64.

An arm 86 is made fast to the shaft 14 inwardly of the gear reductionunit 12, that am 86 moving with the shaft 14 between a substantiallyhorizontal position when the door 32 is closed and a raised positionwhen the door 32 is open. The broken lines in FIG. indicate thedoorclosed position of the arm 86 and the solid line showing in thatfigure indicates an intermediate raised position thereof. The actuatingmember 64 is provided with an upper hook part 88 which, when the arm 86is in its doorclosed position and when the actuating member 64 is in itslocking position 74, extends over the arm 86 and prevents it from rising(see FIG. 3). In this way the hook part 88 of the actuating member 64locks the motor shaft 14, and hence the linkage connecting the motorshaft 14 with the door 32, in its closed and preferably over-centerposition. When the actuating member 64 is moved to its unlockedposition, its hooked part '88 is moved away from the arm 86, thuspermitting the shaft 14 to rotate and move the door 32. When theactuating member 64 is in its relaxed position its hook part 88 is alsooperatively disengaged from the arm 86 and is retained out of the pathof movement of that arm. In order to hold the actuating member 64 in itsrelaxed position until such time as the arm 86 has moved to itsdoor-closed position, a catch 90 (see FIG. 5) is positioned beneath thearm 86 and in its path of movement. It is pivotally mounted on pin 92,and is spring-urged to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction againstthe stop 94. When it is in this position, as shown in the solid lines inFIG. 5, it is adapted to be engaged by a screw 96 carried by theactuating member 64, thereby retaining that actuating member 64 in itsrelaxed position. As the arm 86 moves downwardly it engages the catch 90and moves it downwardly as shown in the broken lines of FIG. 5, therebydisengaging it from the screw 96 and permitting the actuating member 64to move to its locking position, in which its hooked part 88 extendsover the arm 86.

A switch housing generally designated 98 is mounted on the base plate 2,and is provided with a removable cover 100, FIGS. 4 and 5 illustratingthe operator with the cover 100 removed. The shaft 14 extends into theswitch housing 98 and carries a pair of appropriately shaped cams 102and 104 rotatable therewith, which actuate door position switches 106and 108 respectively. The door switch 106 is normally closed, but isadapted to be opened when the Shaft 14 has rotated to a positioncorresponding to the location of the door 32 very close to its fullyopen position. The door switch 103 is normally open, but is adapted tobe closed when the door is within a predetermined distance from its openposition, for example, during the last fifth of its travel toward thatopen position.

Three additional switches 110, 112, and 114 are mounted on plate 116within the housing 98, the movable portions of those switches beingmounted for simultaneous movement with lever 118 pivoted at 120 andbiased to pivot in a clockwise direction by means of the spring 122. Thelever 118 is provided with an adjustable screw '124 which engages pin126 slidable through bushing 128 and extending into engagement with part130 of the actuating member 64. Hence the position of the actuatingmember 64 will control the positionof the lever 118 and thus willcontrol the opening and closing of the switches 110, 112, and 114. Theprecise construction of these switches forms no par-t of the presentinvention. The switches are so arranged that when the actuating member64 is in its locked posit-ion 74 switch is closed and switches 112 and114 are open. When the actuating member 64 is in its unlocked position76 switch 110 is open and switches 112 and 1-14 are closed, and when theactuating member 64 is in its relaxed position switches 110 and 112 areopen and switch 114 is closed.

Making reference now to FIG. 9, which constitutes a circuit diagram ofthe electrical control circuit for the motor 19 and associated parts,132 represents an indicator light or other indicating means (visual oraudible, or both) designed to indicate to the conductor or driver whenthe doors are locked, thus apprising him that it is safe to start thevehicle. 134 represents the armature of the motor, 10, 136 representsthe motor field, 138' is a rectifier connected across the field 136, 14%represents a iuse or circuit breaker in series with the motor, and 142represents a manual control switch adapted tobe actuated by the personin control, the switch 142 being closed when the doors are to be openedand being opened when the doors are to be closed. 144 and 146 representlines connected to the opposite terminals of a source of electricalpower. Switches 148, 1-50, 152, and 154 are motor reversing switchesadapted to be actuated by electromagnet 156'. 158 is a resistor adaptedto be inserted into the motor circuit when the doors are closing inorder to reduce the current flow and thus reduce overload on the motor,particularly if the door becomes stalled while being urged toward itsclosed position. Resistor 160 is in series with the door switch 168, andis designed to slow down the opening movement of the door during thelast portion 7 (perhaps one-fifth) of its opening movement.

The functioning of the operator and its appropriate controls will now bedescribed. We will start with the situation with the doors closed andlocked. The manual control switch 142 will be open. Hence theelectromagnet 162 controlled thereby will be dc-energized and theswitches 164 and 166 actuated thereby will be open.

'Since switch 164 is open, electromagnet 168 is de-energized, and theswitch 1-70 controlled thereby is open.

That switch is in series with the door switch 106 and the solenoid 78.Hence the circuit to the solenoid 78 will be open and the actuatingmember 64 will be in its locking position 74, in which it retains thelocking pawl 44 in position to lock the door closed, its hooked part 88extending over the arm 86 secured to the shaft 14, thus preventing theshaft and door opera-ting linkage from creeping away from itsover-center position, and the switches 110, 112, and 114 areappropriately positioned, switch 110 being closed and switches 112 and114 being open. The closing of switch 110 completes a circuit tosolenoid 172, thus closing switch 174 and completing a circuit throughthe indicator light 13 2, .thus apprising the operator of the vehicle ofthe fact that the doors are locked and closed. The opening of switch 166when the electromag-n-et 162 is de-energized opens the circuit throughelectromagnet 176, causing switch 178- to open and thus de-energizeelectromagnet 156. As a result switches 148 and 154 are closed andswitches 150 and 152 are open. With the door in closed position doorswitch 106 is closed and door switch 108 is open. Since both switches112 and 114 are open, the circuits through the motor field 136 and motorarmature 134 are also open, and the motor is de-energized. The door isthus locked in closed position, its locked status is indicated throughillumination of the bulb 132, and the motor 10 is de-energized.

When the doors are to be opened the switch 142 is closed, thusenergizing electromagnet 162 and closing switches 1-64 and 166. Theclosing of switch 166 energizes electromagnet 176 and closes switch 178,thus energizing electromagnet 156, opening switches 148 and 154 andclosing switches 150 and 152. The closing of switch 164 energizeselectromagnet 168, which closes switch and completes a circuit throughclosed door switch 166 to electromagnet 78. The armature 80 of thatelectromagnet is projected therefrom and the actuating member 64 ismoved to its unlocked position 76. This releases the locking pawl 44 formovement to unlocking position, removes the hooked part 88 from over thearm 86 on the shaft 14, thus permitting the shaft 14 to rotate, opensswitch 116 and closes switches 112 and 114. The opening of switch 110de-energizes the electromagnet 172, permits switch 174 to open, andextinguishes the indicator light 132. Since switch 114 is in series withswitch 154, which is now open, the closing of switch 114 plays no partin the operation of the device at this time. Switch 112, however, is inseries with the now closed switches 15% and 152, thus completing acircuit through the motor field 136 and downwardly through the motorarmature 134, causing the motor 16 to rotate in a direction to open thedoor. As the door opens the movement to the left of the head 54 carriedby the door permits the pawl 44 to pivot to its unlocking position.

As the door proceeds toward its open position, and after, for example,approximately 110 degrees of rotation of the shaft 14, the door switch108 is closed. This places the adjustable resistance 160 in shunt crossthe motor armature 134, providing dynamic breaking and causing theopening movement of the door to be less rapid.

When the door has almost reached its fully open position, for example,after 135 degrees of rotation of the shaft 14, door switch 106 opens.This opens the circuit to the solenoid 73, de-ener-gizing the latter,and thus releasing the actuating member 64 for movement toward itslocking position under the influence of the spring 72. However, theactuating member 64 will be retained in its relaxed position either byengagement with the pawl tail 53 or the catch 93' or both. In thatrelaxed position of the actuating member 64 switch 110 will remain open,so that the indicator light 132 will remain extinguished, switch 114will remain closed, and switch 112 will open. At this stage in theoperation switch 114 plays no part because it is in series with the openreversing switches 154 and 143. The opening of the switch 112 will,however, break the circuit to the motor 110, the motor will bedeenergized, and the door 32 will coast to its fully open position.

The door 32 will remain in that open position until such time as themanual control switch 142 is opened when that switch is opened theelectromagnet 162 will be de-energized, and switches 164 and 166 willopen. The opening of switch 164 will break the circuit to electromagnet168, switch 170 will be opened, and the circuit to the solenoid 78 willremain open irrespective of the condition of the door switch 106. Hencethe actuating member 64 will remain in its relaxed position and will beurged toward its locking position 74, and the status of switches 110,112 and 114 will remain as just described, that is to say, respectivelyopen, open and closed. The opening of switch 166 will de-energizeelectromagnet 176, causing switch 178 to open and de-energizingelectromagnet 156. Hence switches 148 and 154 will close and switches150 and 152 will open. The closing of switches 14% and 154 completes acircuit through the motor field 136 and motor armature 134 via theclosed switch 114, but the path of current through the armature 134 willbe reversed from its previous direction. The motor will therefore beenergized to move the door 32 toward its closed position. Reistor 158 inseries between switch 114 and switch 154 will provide dynamic breakingand ensure that the door will close slowly throughout its entire travel.As the door closes first door switch 106 will close and then door switch108 will open.

This situation will continue until the door 32 has moved suflicientlytoward its fuily closed position for the head 54 carried thereby toengage within the recess 52 in the pawl 44 and move that pawl to itslocking position thereby swinging its tail 58 out of the path ofmovement of the tail part 62 of the actuating member 64, and until theshaft 14 has caused the arm 36 to move the catch out of engagement withthe screw 96 carried by the actu ating member 64. When both of theseresults have been obtained the actuating member 64 will move from itsretaxed position to its locking position 74. This will open switch 114and thereby rte-energize the motor '10, and will close switch 110, thusenergizing electromagnet 172, closing switch 174 and illuminating theindicator light 132.

The door will thus be in locked position, the indicator light 132 willindicate that status of the door, and the door operating linkage will bepositively retained against creeping from its over-center safetyposition.

It will be noted that all of these results are achieved by means of buttwo door switches 106 and 198 and three additional switches 110, 112 and114 actuated by actuating member 64. All of the other electrical controlelements are of the inexpensive relay type. It will be noted, moreover,that the control of all of the switches 196-114 is directly andpositively related to the position of the door, the switches 106 and 108being controlled by the cams 162 and 164 fast on the door operatingshaft 14 and the switches 119414 and particularly switches 11% and 114,being controlled through direct sensing of the actual position of thedoor relay to its fully closed position, this being accomplished byreason of the fact that the various parts 62, 68 and of the actuatingmember 64 are rigidly connected to one another, the parts 62 and 68engaging respectively with the pawl tail 58 and the catch 90 until suchtime as the door is substantially completely moved to its closedposition and the door operating shaft 14 has been substantiallycompletely rotated to its final position corresponding thereto.

In order to provide for manual opening of the doors in case of powerfailure, a manual operating lever is provided, normally being in itsposition shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, in which position it does notinterfere with the powered action of the operator, and being movable toits position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 in order to manually rotatethe shaft 14 sufliciently to move the operating linkage beyond itsover-center position, after which manual opening force exerted on thedoor will cause the door to open. The lever 180, which is journalled onthe shaft 14, is provided with a cam 132 (see FIG. 3) active on pin 184extending from the actuating member 64, the initial movement of thelever 180 from its position shown in solid lines in MG. 2 serving topivot the actuating member 64 out of its locking position, thusreleasing the locking pawl 44 and the arm 86 on the shaft 14, therebypermitting rotation of the shaft 14 and movement of the door 42 from itslocked position.

FIGS. 7 and 8 disclose the operator of the present invention adapted forsimultaneous control of the movement of a pair of doors 32a and 321),such as the center doors of a subway car. To this end the shaft 14rotates a lever 185. Rod 186 connects one end of the lever to the door32a, while rod 138 connects the other end of the lever 185 with lever190 pivotally mounted at 192 and connected at its end with rod 194, theother end of which is connected to door 32b. The rods 186 and 194 may,if desired, have built-in lost motion connections generally designated196 and 198 respectively, complete with compression springs 2G0 and 202respectively, the doors 32a and 32b are provided respectively with slidebars 204 and 206 the ends of which are slidably received in brackets 2G8and 210 respectively extending from the operator proper 6, the rods 204and 206 also being provided with resiliently extended build-in lostmotion connections 212, 214 respectively, each complete with compressionsprings 216 and 218 respectively. The ends or" the slide rods 204 and206 function in a manner similar to the tail 58 of the locking pawl 44of the previously described embodiment, that is to say, when the doors32a and 32b are in their fully closed positions the tips of the rods 204and 296 move out of the way of the tail part 62 of the actuating member64, thus permitting that tail part to move downwardly between the tipsof the rods 204 and 266, thereby preventing those rods from moving in adoor opening direction. The lost motion connections 196, 198, 212 and214, when provided, permit the doors a few inches of movement eventhough they are locked. When the doors are not closed the slide bars 204and 206 will be located beneath and in the path of travel of the tailpart 62 of the actuating member 64, thus retaining the actuating member64 in its relaxing position and preventing it from moving to itsllocking position.

The structure here disclosed is greatly simplified when compared withcomparable prior art structures, but with out any loss in functioning orin the achievement of desired safety features. It is considerably lessexpensive than such prior art devices, yet is more reliable and morepositive in operation, and takes up considenably less space.

While but two modifications of (a single embodiment of the door operatorof the present invention has been here disclosed, it will be apparentthat many variations may be made in the specific details thereof,without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In a door operator comprising a power source, first means operativelyconnected between said power source and a door for moving the latterbetween open and closed positions in response to action of, said powersource, second means operatively connected to said power source forcontrolling the act-ion of said source and for indicating the status ofsaid door, and third means operatively connected to said door forlocking it in a given position and movable between locking and unlockingpositions; the improvement which comprises actuating means for saidoperator comprising a single substantially rigid member mounted formovement between first and second positions and having a third operativeposition between said first and second positions, manually controllablemeans operatively connected to said member for selectively urging ittoward its first and second positions respectively, and operativeconnections between said member and said first, second and third means,said member in its first position (a) cooperating with said first meansto prevent movement thereof, (b) cooperating with said second means tocondition said source for location of said door in said given positionand for indicating that the door is locked in said given position, and((2) cooperating with said third means for retaining it in its lockingposition, said member in its second position being operativelydisengaged from said first and third means and cooperating with saidsecond means to condition said source to move said door from said givenposition and to indicate that the door is not locked in said givenposition, said member in its third position permitting movement of saidfirst and third means and cooperating with said second means tocondition said source to move said door toward said given position andto indicate that the door is not locked in said given position, wherebythe prevention of movement of said first means, the actuation of saidsecond means, and the status of said third means are all positivelyinterrelated.

2. In a door operator comprising a power source, first means operativelyconnected between said power source 7 and a door for moving the latterbetween open and closed positions in response to action of said powersource, second means operatively connected to said power source forcontrolling the action of said source and for indicating the status ofsaid door, and third means operatively connected to said door forlocking it in a given position and movable between locking and unlockingpositions; the improvement which comprises actuating means for saidoperator comprising a single substantially rigid member mounted formovement between first and second positions and having a third operativeposition between said first and second positions, manually controllablemeans operatively connected to said member for selectively urging ittoward its first and second positions respectively, and operativeconnections between said member and said first, second and third means,said member in its first position (a) cooperating with said first meansto prevent movement thereof, (b) cooperating with said second means tocondition said source-for location of said door in said given positionand for indicating that the door is locked in said given position, and(c) cooperating with said third means for retaining it in its lockingposition, said member in its second position being operativelydisengaged from said first and third means and cooperating with saidsecond means to condition said source to move said door from said givenposition and to indicate that the door is not locked in said givenposition, said member in its third position permitting movement of saidfirst and third means and cooperating with said second means tocondition said source to move said door toward said given position andto indicate that the door is not locked in said given position, saidmember, when urged toward its first position, :being retained in itsthird position by engagement with at least one of said first and thirdmeans until said door has reached its given position and said thirdmeans is in its locking position respectively, whereby the prevention ofmovement of said first means, the actuation of said second means, andthe status of said third means are all positively interrelated.

3. A door operator comprising a power source, operative connectionsbetween said source and a door for moving the latter between open andclosed positions, control and indicating means operatively connected tosaid source for controlling the action thereof and for indicatingwhether the door is located in a given position, locking means forlocking said door in said given position, a single substantially rigidmember articulately mounted for movement between first and secondoperative positions, means biasing said member to one of said first andsecond positions, and manually controllable means operatively connectedto said member for moving it to the other of its first and secondpositions, said member having a first part operatively engageable withsaid control and indicating means for actuating said means in accordancewith the position of said member, said member having a second partoperatively engageable with said locking means only when said member isin its first position and said door is in its given position for lockingsaid door in said given position, and means for retaining said memberout of its first position until said door is located in said givenposition, whereby the actuation of said control and indicating means ispositively related to the status of said locking means, said lockingmeans comprises a part movable with said door and a pawl articulatelymounted on a fixed element, said pawl being movable between apart-locking and a part-releasing position, said member having a thirdpart the path of movement of which corresponding to movement of saidmember between its first and second positions intersects the path ofmovement of said pawl between its positions in such a way that when saidmember is in its first position said pawl is in its part-lockingposition and is prevented from movement therefrom, thereby locking saiddoor in position, and when said pawl is in its pawl-releasing positionsaid member cannot move to its first position.

4. The door operator of claim 3, in which said pawl is biased to itspart-releasing position and is moved to its part-locking position byengagement with said part as said door moves to said given position.

5. The door operator of claim 3, in which said pawl is provided with anelongated recess larger than said part, into which recess said part isreceived when said pawl is in pawl-locking position, said part beingmovable in said recess, thereby permitting a limited degree of movementof said door from said given position when said door is locked.

6. The door operator of claim 3, =in which said pawl is biased to itspart-releasing position and is moved to its part-locking position byengagement with said part as said door moves to said given position, andin which said pawl is provided with an elongated recess larger than saidpart, into which recess said part is received when said pawl is inpawl-locking position, said part being movable in said recess, therebypermitting a limited degree of movement of said door from said givenposition when said door is locked.

7. A door operator comprising a power source, operative connectionsincluding a first movable element between said source and a door formoving the latter between open and closed positions, control andindicating means operatively connected to said source for controllingthe action thereof and for indicating whether the door is located in agiven position, locking means for locking said door in said givenposition, a single substantially rigid member articulately mounted formovement between first and second operative positions and having a thirdoperative position between said first and second positions, meansbiasing said member to one of said first and second positions, andmanually controllable means operatively connected to said member formoving it to the other of its first and second positions, said memberhaving a first part operatively engageable with said first element onlywhen said member is in its first position and said door is in said givenposition for locking said first element against movement, means forretaining said member in its third position until said first element ispositioned corresponding to the location of said door in said givenposition, said member having a second part operatively engageable withsaid control and indicating means for actuating said means in accordancewith the position of said member, said member having a third partoperatively engageable with said locking means only when said member isin its first position and said door is in its given position for lockingsaid door in said given position, and means for retaining said member inits third position until said door is located in said given position,whereby the locking of said first element against movement, theactuation of said control and indicating means, and the status of saidlocking means are all positively interrelated.

8. The door operator of claim 7, in which said locking means comprises apart movable with said door and a pawl articulately mounted on a fixedelement, said pawl being movable between a part-locking and apart-releasing position, the path of movement of said third member partcorresponding to movement of said member between its first and secondpositions intersecting the path of movement of said pawl in such a waythat when said member is in its first position said pawl is in itspart-locking position and is prevented from movement therefrom, therebylocking said door in position, and when said pawl is in itspawl-releasing position said member cannot move to its first positionand is retained in its third position.

9. The door operator of claim 8, in which said pawl is biased to itspart-releasing position and is moved to its part-locking position byengagement with said part as said door moves to said given position.

10. The door operator of claim 8, in which said pawl is provided with anelongated recess larger than said part, into which recess said part isreceived when said pawl is in pawl-locking position, said part beingmovable in said recess, thereby permitting a limited degree of movementof said door from said given position when said door is locked.

11. The door operator of claim 8, in which said pawl is biased to itspart-releasing position and is moved to its part-locking position byengagement with said part as said door moves to said given position, andin which said pawl is provided with an elongated recess larger than saidpart, into which recess said part is received when said pawl is inpawl-locking position, said part being movable in said recess, therebypermitting a limited degree of movement of said door from said givenposition when said door is locked.

12. A door operator comprising a base, a motor mounted thereon, a dooroperating element moved by said motor and operatively connected to adoor, a control and indicator switch assembly mounted on said base andoperatively connected to said motor for controlling the latter and forindicating the status of said door, an actuating member for saidassembly, a solenoid mounted on said base, a single substantially rigidmember pivotally mounted on said base for movement between first andsecond positions, means biasing said member to one of said positions,said member being operatively connected to said solenoid for movementthereby to the other of said positions when said solenoid is energized,said member having a first part directly engaging said actuating memberfor said switch assembly for causing said switches to be actuated inaccordance with the position of said member, and having a second partoperatively connected to a part carried by said door, said door-carriedpart operatively engaging said member and preventing movement of saidmember to its first position until said door is completely closed,whereby the actuation of said control and indicator switch assembly ispositively related to the position of said door.

13. The door operator of claim 12, in which said second member part,when said member is in its first position, is in operativestop-engagement with said doorcarried part, thereby preventing undesiredmovement of said door.

=14. In the door operator of claim 12, a latch articulately mounted onsaid base and movable between operative and inoperative positions, saidlatch in its operative position engaging said member and preventing itsmovement to its first position, said latch being operatively connectedto said door-operating element and being moved thereby to itsinoperative position when said door-operating element is in itsdoor-closed position.

15. A door operator comprising a base, a motor mounted thereon, a shaftdriven by said motor, a door operating element moved by said shaft andoperatively connected to a door, a control and indicator switch assemblymounted on said base and operatively connected to said motor forcontrolling the latter and for indicating the status of said door, anactuating member for said assembly, a solenoid mounted on said base, asingle substantially rigid member mounted on said base for movementbetween first and second positions, means biasing said member to one ofsaid positions, said memher being operatively connected to said solenoidfor movement thereby to the other of said positions when said solenoidis energized, said member having a first part operatively connected tosaid shaft only when said member is in its first position for preventingmovement of said shaft, having a second part directly engaged by saidactuating member for said switch assembly for causing said switches tobe actuated in accordance with the position of said member, and having athird part operatively connected to a part carried by said door, saiddoor-carried part operatively engaging said member when said member isin a third position intermediate between its first and second positionsand preventing movement of said member to its first position until saiddoor is completely closed, whereby the prevention of movement of saidshaft, the actuation of said control and indicator switch assembly, andthe position of said door are all positively interrelated.

16. The door operator of claim 15, in which said third member part, whensaid member is in its first position, is in stop-engagement with saiddoor-carried part, thereby preventing undesired movement of said door.

17. A door operator comprising an electric motor operatively connectedto a door for moving the latter, an indicator for showing the status ofthe door, a source of electric power, an actuating element movablebetween first and second positions, means biasing said element to saidfirst position, an electromagnet operatively 13 connected to saidactuating element and effective, When energized, to move said element tosaid second position, said element being positionable in a thirdposition between its first and second positions under the influence ofsaid biasing means, electrical connections between said source and saidindicator including a first switch, electrical connections between saidsource and said motor including reversing switches settable fordoor-opening and door-closing respectively and additional switch meansoperatively connected to said actuating element, an electric circuitbetween said source and said electromagnet including a second switch,manual control means operatively connected to said solenoid circuit andsaid reversing switches, means operatively connected to said door forretaining said actuating element in its third position and preventing itfrom moving to its first position until the door is substantially fullyclosed, and interlock means between said switches and circuits, saidmanual control means, said door and said actuating element beingeffective as follows: (a) when said manual control means is in a firstcondition said solenoid circuit is disconnected from said source andsaid reversing switches are actuated to condition said door to close,and when said manual control means is in a second condition saidsolenoid circuit is connected to said source and said reversing switchesare actuated to condition said door to open; (b) when said door isopened more than a predetermined amount said second switch opens,thereby breaking said solenoid circuit; when said actuating element isin its first position said first switch is closed and said additionalswitch means is actuated to de-energize said motor; (d) when saidactuating element is in its second position said first switch is openand said additional switch means is actuated to cause said motor to opensaid door; (e) when said actuating element is in its third position saidfirst switch is open and said additional switch means is actuated tocause said motor to close said door when said reversing switches are setfor closing said :door and to deenergize said motor when said reversingswitches are set for opening said door.

18. The door operator of claim 17, in which said electrical connectionsbetween said source and said motor comprise first and second selectivelyuseable paths for current through said motor, said paths, whenselectively energized, causing said motor to operate respectively toopen and close said door, said reversing switches being connected insaid paths so as to close one and open the other depending upon thedesired direction of rotation of the motor, said additional switch meanscomprising third and fourth switches in said first and second pathsrespectively, said actuating element opening both said third and fourthswitches when in its first position, closing at least said third switchwhen in its second position, and closing said fourth switch and openingsaid third switch when in its third position.

References fiited in the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A DOOR OPERATOR COMPRISING A POWER SOURCE, FIRST MEANS OPERATIVELYCONNECTED BETWEEN SAID POWER SOURCE AND A DOOR FOR MOVING THE LATTERBETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS IN RESPONSE TO ACTION OF SAID POWERSOURCE, SECOND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID POWER SOURCE FORCONTROLLING THE ACTION OF SAID SOURCE AND FOR INDICATING THE STATUS OFSAID DOOR, AND THIRD MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID DOOR FORLOCKING IT IN A GIVEN POSITION AND MOVABLE BETWEEN LOCKING AND UNLOCKINGPOSITIONS; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES ACTUATING MEANS FOR SAIDOPERATOR COMPRISING A SINGLE SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID MEMBER MOUNTED FORMOVEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS AND HAVING A THIRD OPERATIVEPOSITION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, MANUALLY CONTROLLABLEMEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBER FOR SELECTIVELY URGING ITTOWARD ITS FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS RESPECTIVELY, AND OPERATIVECONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID MEMBER AND SAID FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD MEANS,SAID MEMBER IN ITS FIRST POSITION (A) COOPERATING WITH SAID FIRST MEANSTO PREVENT MOVEMENT THEREOF, (B) COOPERATING WITH SAID